Just one more night
by JXeleven
Summary: Arthur's heart is broken, he may have won the war, but lost one of the most important people to him, he wanted to scream, but just wasn't able, so he wandered, he had to get away from Camelot. His feet brought him to a lake, he looked untill he felt a soft hand reach for him. Warning: Main character's dead.


_**A/N: A one shot I made some time ago, but I didn't finish it then, so I post it now. I don't think I have much to say about it, just read it is all I can say. Hope you will like it. **_

_**Warning: Main character's dead, no slash.**_

_**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Merlin.**_

xxx

Arthur stared, his eyes upon the body in front of them, the fire eating upon the flesh, he felt sick, but forced himself to not look away. Tears stained the king's face, but he didn't care, how could he care when his mind was filled with so many painful feelings.

The sun began to set, but the fire was just lit, he still could see the other's face, his peaceful expression, his tall body, but Arthur knew it wouldn't take long before they were only a long lost memory.

The king's heart was broken, he had finally won the war, defeated his strongest opponents, but that was nothing compared to his lose. Arthur wanted to scream, but he couldn't, he heard his friends scream, cry, but his pain was settled in his heart, pierced in it as a shard, something that couldn't disappear from his heart simply by screaming.

And so he just stood and stared, standing there, his expression blank, the only indication of any emotion were those tears, but he didn't know what kind of tears they where, tears of pain, tears of sadness, tears of betrayal, maybe it where just all of them, but he didn't care.

The whole night he watched, even when the fire went out he didn't leave, his people left, later his friends, Gwen was the last that remained with him, begging him to get rest, but he didn't answer her, he didn't want to look into those eyes, filled with the same pain that could be read in his.

Eventually even she left, leaving the king alone in the square. Arthur was tired, tired from battle, the war, but he wouldn't sleep, so he just sank through his knees.

And so he sat, knees covered in dirt, face stained with tears. He finally looked up when he felt the heat of the morning light warm his face, heat he never thought he would be able to feel after his heart broke. He slowly stood up, looking at the ash covered ground in front of him, he didn't want to be here, he didn't want to see his friends, their pain, so he walked, not caring where he was going, only knowing he had to get out of Camelot.

He looked at the ground, following his own feet, not knowing which way he was going. He walked, soon leaving the path into the forest, minutes, even hours went by, then he stopped, he wasn't able to get further, water blocked his path.

His head turned up, the sight was a lake, it felt so familiar, but still so unknown. It felt like him, pain spread through his heart again, why felt it like him, why had he to be reminded of him.

For the first time, for the first time he was able to scream, he screamed, showing how his fears had came to live, showing the pain he felt. He dropped himself to the ground, his face touched the earth, more screams filled the lake, before everything went silent again.

The sky darkened again, the sun left, the air went cold, but he still lay there, unable to stand up, to go back home.

Then he looked up, not because of the cold, not because of the dark, but because he felt an hand reaching for him. He blinked for a moment, before he started to shout and took his head in his hands. 'Get out of my head!'

'Arthur?' A concerned voice asked.

Why had it to be his voice! 'You're dead, leave!'

'Arthur!' The voice sounded strict, but warm, caring. 'Look at me.' His head was tilted up and he stared in those warm deep blue eyes, that pale face, that pitch black hair.

'You can't be here, you're dead!'

'I indeed am.' Arthur looked stunned at the other.

'But how can you be here, are you just part of my imagination, am I going crazy?'

The raven smiled at him. 'Do you know where you are?' The other waved at the lake that shined bright in the moonlight. 'This is the lake of Avalon, it's filled with powerful magic, magic that allowed me more time with you.' Merlin's eyes saddened. 'You knew what I'm right?'

Arthur gulped, it all was so crazy, seeing the friend that died in his arms in front of him, but even when he knew it was impossible it just felt right, it didn't feel like a lie, like something that wasn't true. 'Yeah, you saved me, I saw... I saw you using magic, but what hurt even more was seeing you die.' He looked at his friend's body, there was no sign of the wound that had killed him, no blood, he even... Arthur looked closer, seeing how the raven was transparent. 'I can see through you.' He just said without thinking.

Merlin laughed. 'I'm just a spirit, you burned my body remember, so the only thing that I have left is my soul.'

'Did you... did you mind that we burned it, your body I mean?'

The raven shook his head. 'At first I was scared by that thought, I guess I was always scared that I would be burned at the stake for who I was, but now, now I wasn't scared, it felt as if I was freed, seeing how I already knew that it was just an empty shell of who I once was.'

'I'm sorry... I understand that your where scared, I should have seen it before... maybe then I could have saved you from this fate, I-' His mind started to panic, he should have changed everything, but before he could think fingers were placed on his lips.

'It has already happened, we can't change it anymore and... and I don't mind my fate.' A sad smile spread over the raven's face. 'I'm glad to know that at least you accepted me.'

'You're my best friend.' A tear ran down Arthur's cheek. 'How long do we have?' He asked, he didn't want to lose his friend again.

A sad smile spread over the raven's face. 'Only tonight, when the sun comes up I have to go...'

The blond's eyes widened in shock, then they had only a few hours. 'Then tell me, tell me everything I should have known, before you go I want to know what you have done.'

Merlin nodded and so he spoke, he told Arthur everything, Arthur felt hurt, stupid that he had never noticed it before. How he felt sick at hearing how much Merlin had been hurt, how he had hurt the raven, how much he wanted to change everything, but he couldn't, dead found his way to the little raven to soon.

Arthur finally began to understand, how he wanted to take the smaller man in his arms, but he restrained himself, he shouldn't, he had to keep listening.

Merlin finished just in time, his mouth closed, when he told Arthur the last words when the first ray of light shined upon the lake. Both men turned shocked around, knowing what it meant.

It was the raven that first recovered. 'Arthur, I have to-.'

'No!' Arthur shouted, he didn't want to lose his closest friend. 'Please don't go!'

'I have no choice.' The raven said, wearing a painful smile. He took Arthur's head in his hands, forcing the blond to look straight in those bright blue eyes. 'I may go, but I will never truly leave you.' One of his hands lowered and was placed on top of Arthur's chest. 'I will always be with you in here.'

Arthur opened his mouth, but closed them again, he knew his words would do nothing, the raven had to leave. 'I wish I could take your place.'

Merlin shook his head with a soft smile on his face. 'Noble as always, but the others need you, Gwen needs you, my part in this story has come to an end, but there is still one thing I want to ask you. I want you to go further with creating Albion, you're almost finished, so promise me that you won't give up.'

Tears ran down Arthur's face, he didn't want to create Albion without his friend, he couldn't do it, not without Merlin, but the raven looked at him with those begging eyes, how could he refuse. 'I will do it... for you.'

'Thank you.' Merlin kissed the blond on his forehead, before standing up and walking towards the water, Arthur could only stare when the raven started to disappear.

'Don't leave me!' Arthur shouted knowing it wouldn't work.

Merlin gave Arthur his last bright smile. 'I'm sorry, but I promise you that I will be there to guide you to the other side when it's your time.'

Arthur's tears fell even faster down his cheeks and he had to blink to be able to keep looking at his friend. 'Thank you... thank you for everything you have done, I will never forget you!' He shouted and at the same time he ran forward, trying to reach for Merlin, but he was to late, Merlin disappeared with a last smile on his face and Arthur felt only air when he reached for him.

At first the blond only stared, but then he screamed, letting out his pain and he sank to his knees. His voice filled the woods for a long time, until the king wasn't able to make anymore sounds. He felt as if the live had left his body and closed his eyes, sitting there for many hours.

He didn't know how long he had been there, but suddenly he heard soft footsteps coming to him, gently hands embraced him, he was dragged away from the lake, he didn't want to live further, but he had promised his friend.

He had to live, he had to live for Merlin.

xxx

Arthur looked up, his old eyes were feeling heavy, how he longed for rest, but he knew it wouldn't be long. He coughed, he had been in bed for almost a week now, his legs unable to move. He looked to the side, he saw Gwen's tears and it broke his heart, but he couldn't do anything about them.

Somewhere inside him he always had known he would die before her. He looked at the others in the room, his once trusted knights, all of them old men now, some of them left before him, but most still protected him with their lives. The youngest one in the room was his son, the boy had showed him that he would be a great king, a man worthy of being king of Albion.

Arthur smiled, it was time. He pushed himself up, causing his friends to push him back, but with his last strength he pushed them away. 'I have to get outside.'

Gwen let out a sob. 'You can't.'

'But I will.' He didn't know where he got his strength from, but he stood up, immediately arms helped him standing straight. They would listen to his last request, so they walked, it was a long walk, but they reached the stairs in front of the great doors. He stopped and so did the others.

A smile grew on his old face, seeing a bright light shining in front of him. A figure walked out of it, but the old king already knew who it was.

The raven stopped in front of him, a warm smile spread over his gentle face, he held out his hand. 'It's time to come with me.'

'I know, I'm ready.' He didn't know if the others saw Merlin too, but he didn't care he would finally be reunited with his friend, he would finally rest, something he had longed for, for a long time.

He reached for the raven's hand, immediately he felt his body lift, no, not his body, he looked back and saw his body sank to the ground, while his friends tried to held him up, but they already knew it was nothing more then an empty shell. He turned back, staring in Merlin's face, before looking at himself, he looked young, it had been a long time since his hair had been the colour of the sun, his skin was smooth again, he didn't feel tired anymore.

'It's time to go.' Merlin said, his soft voice filled with sadness, the raven walked, pulling the king with him, Arthur knew what would happen, so he walked after Merlin into the light, he left the world of the living.

Their story had ended, new stories would be created, but Arthur and Merlin would never know about them, they had left, they will rest until the end of time.

xxx

_**A/N: I just had to do the last part, I wanted them to be together again, creating a happy end. (not so happy about the end though).**_


End file.
